Latest news with #WesternNewYork
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
WNY welcomes expected summer tourism boost
SILVER CREEK, N.Y. (WIVB) — Memorial Day traditionally marks the unofficial start of summer for many residents in Western New York, a time when the region typically experiences an influx of visitors. Although the official start of summer isn't until June 20, recent dry and sunny evenings have brought a distinctly summer feel to the area, especially after days of rain. WIVB News 4 spent Monday at Hideaway Bay, a luxury resort located on Lake Erie in Silver Creek. The resort is among several attractions that Patrick Kaler, CEO of Visit Buffalo Niagara, says will play a key role in drawing tourists to the region in the coming months. 'We are excited about all the possibilities that we have here in Western New York, especially Buffalo and Erie County,' Kaler said. He acknowledges that recent tensions with Canada may have some impact on tourism, but efforts are underway to promote Buffalo in new markets such as Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. 'It has given us the opportunity to expand our overall megaphone, if you will, to tell the story of Buffalo and look at potential markets where we weren't placing advertising in the past. We are seeing some really strong numbers coming from those areas,' Kaler said. This marketing strategy is also being embraced by Hideaway Bay owners Christian Edie and Kevin Cullen. 'We just started working with Step Out Buffalo, who is a great partner. Canadian neighbors are still coming down to see us. I think we have a unique experience that transcends borders and politics a little bit, so everyone can come down to the beach and have a wonderful, shared experience,' Cullen said. Hideaway Bay offers visitors a variety of activities, including kiteboarding along the sea cliffs, fishing, saunas, and hot tubs paired with beachside food and entertainment. It's a vacation destination, especially appealing to neighbors who want to stay local this summer. 'We are here in Western New York, where there's been 10 feet of snow and lots of rain, but here we are today celebrating. It's a good time,' said beachgoer Vinny Paternostro. 'The most common thing we get daily is people saying, 'I don't feel like we're in Western New York.' I love Western New York, but it's nice to feel tropical sometimes,' said Cullen. Just 35 minutes north of Buffalo, summer events such as the Allentown Art Festival, Fourth of July fireworks at Sahlen Field, Taste of Buffalo, and the National Buffalo Chicken Wing Festival are just a few of the happenings planned over the next several months. 'We are putting out a very strong welcoming message for Buffalo and Erie County to bring in as many visitors as we can throughout the summer months, also promoting all the fantastic small businesses, our attractions, waterfront, and the great restaurants we have,' Kaler said. 'It's really nice to be here for more than just a day. You can really get into the natural environment, relax, and just enjoy feeling like you're on vacation at a beach resort somewhere,' said Edie. Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Heeding the call at Western New York National Cemetery
PEMBROKE — With rainy 46-degree weather Friday, members of the Orleans County honor guard gathered at the Western New York National Cemetery to honor one of their own. Among the four providing a rifle salute were Niagara County Army veterans Kathy Kindle of Middleport and Ricci Hoffer of Newfane. For all who provide this solemn service, it is a high honor done with great pride. Jim Freas of Medina, the officer-in-charge of the Orleans County honor guard, said he is involved because 'I expect somebody to do it for me.' 'It's the last thing these guys can do for their brothers,' said Linda Freas, Jim's wife. 'Every year it's fewer and fewer of them.' The call to honor is ongoing. Every day, the Western New York National Cemetery lays veterans to rest. 'The National Cemetery Association thinks of Memorial Day as our Super Bowl,' said Jim Metcalfe, an Army vet and director of the Western New York National Cemetery who has overseen 19 national cemeteries. 'We have to be perfect,' Metcalfe said. 'There can't be a weed. People roll in and see the manicured lawn, and the tree rings, and the marble. It is overwhelming for them.' Laying someone to rest at the national cemetery is called a committal service, rather than a funeral, Metcalfe said. 'Our duty here is to render military honors to the veteran. It's not a place for a showing or ceremony,' he said. 'When we have a committal service, the next of kin will receive a burial flag, a presidential memorial certificate, the honor guard, the rifle volley, playing of taps, and two members from the veteran's branch of service will be present to fold and present the flag to the family.' A eulogy or prayer by someone of the family's choosing can be included. 'I think when the rifle volley goes off and they hear taps play, most families find it difficult to hold it in,' Metcalfe said. 'Now the country is giving back and providing this beautiful place for them for eternity.' Honor guard members are volunteers, both veteran and non-veteran, representing all branches of the military. At committal services, the honor guard usually includes one bugler, seven shooters, and a commander. Erie, Wyoming, Genesee, and Orleans counties have honor guards who have committed to serve a day each week at the cemetery. When guard groups are large enough, members are able to rotate through. Since Niagara County has yet to form an honor guard, all counties alternate on Fridays. 'What stays with me is the number of unclaimed veterans with no families,' said Mike Harmer of Medina, a Navy vet. Kindle has tried to find members for a Niagara County honor guard by speaking about it at monthly countywide meetings of the American Legion. She said many local legion posts have their own honor guard. 'Some days, we have a local funeral at the post, and we can't come to the national cemetery,' Kindle said. 'When you look at the faces of the families, you see how much it means to them,' said honor guard member John Follman of Waterport, who served in the Air Force and National Guard. On Friday, Follman presented the family of the deceased with three brass shells from the honor guard's M1 Garand rifle salute. The shells stand for duty, honor, and sacrifice, he said. Petty Officer Robin Johnson, who represented the Navy in honor of the deceased Friday, said participating is a way to tip his hat to those who have served. 'Either during taps or the presentation of the flag, that's when people start choking up,' Johnson said. Brad Nudd of Medina is not a veteran, but he serves on the Orleans County honor guard as a bugler in memory of his father who did military service. Nudd said his involvement is in tribute to his father, and all who sacrificed for this country. As a new cemetery will be created in 2021, Metcalfe said outreach is underway to help families understand the services available to them. He said the Pembroke cemetery has done 600 interments a year, but several thousand are typical at other national cemeteries. Veterans who have resided elsewhere can be buried in Western New York, and Metcalfe said a lot of snowbirds come back here. 'People don't know what to expect here,' Metcalfe said. 'We work with them all. We're a time-of-need service. There's no pre-registration. You can't reserve a spot. A burial can be arranged in an hour.' The national cemetery offers traditional burial, and for cremations, both in-ground burials and a columbarium building with niches are available. Metcalfe said all veterans have the benefit of a gravesite, opening and closing of the site, a burial lining, a headstone and marker, and perpetual care. He encourages families to go to and choose the benefits section to learn more.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Batavia hosts ‘Big Brother' auditions for reality TV hopefuls
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Wednesday, a popular TV show that's right here on News 8 WROC held casting calls over in Batavia. More than 300 people from all over visited Western New York all with hopes of being a houseguest on CBS' 'Big Brother.' News 8 spoke with a man who said this is his second time auditioning and he would do anything to get on the TV show. 'I was in Rio for Lady Gaga who is there, and I skipped Lady Gaga and said I'm going to be here today so,' Tacito Curry said. 'There were casting calls in Texas, but I didn't want to go to Texas, but the moment I saw a post in NY, I didn't even question it. I never heard of this city in the middle of nowhere. I said 'No. I'm going to go no matter what.'' This isn't the first-time auditions were held at Batavia Downs Casino. Big fans might remember Season 17 winner Steve Moses, who actually is from our area. News 8's Adelisa Badzic: So, we've had people from Rochester win before, does that give you a sense of hope? Rochester resident Renee Molnar: Yes, I really like to think of myself as a lucky person so I'm really happy to be here and grateful to have this experience. 'Say no to nothing at all,' Buffalo resident Nate Hazard said. 'Just take every opportunity you have and just go for it.' There is one more casting call next week in Virginia. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
30-01-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Inside Denver's winning NWSL bid: How grassroots and confidence beat stadium plans and Caitlin Clark
Jordan Angeli's soccer career has taken her around the world. The television analyst played collegiately for the Santa Clara Broncos, featured with the U.S. national team at an under-20 championship in Russia and played professionally across three major cities: first with the Boston Breakers in the Women's Professional Soccer league (WPS), and later with the Washington Spirit and Western New York in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The one place the game never took her was Colorado, her home state. 'It's always been a dream of mine to have a team here,' Angeli told The Athletic. 'I played in Boston. I played in D.C. I played in Western New York, but never anywhere close enough where my aunts, my uncles, my cousins, my whole family, my friends from high school, everyone could come watch me play.' While Angeli wasn't officially part of the final investment that won Denver the honor of NWSL's 16th team, announced Thursday, the grassroots efforts she spearheaded helped make her dream a reality for others. The idea began in the spring of 2023, when Colorado native and sports business executive, Tom Dunmore, reached out to Angeli on Twitter. 'I'm working on trying to bring a women's soccer team to Denver,' he wrote. 'Are you interested in chatting?' The pair quickly jumped on a video call, and, a few weeks later, Angeli found herself sneaking around downtown Denver, meeting with others, including insurance executive Ben Hubbard, a former official with the Obama administration. Together, they'd meet in the basements of restaurants to talk about bringing their vision to life. Their grassroots effort, 'For Denver FC,' formally launched that July. Just a few months later, they had their majority investor, Rob Cohen. Advertisement 'Good thing I checked my Twitter DMs, because you never know what's in there,' Angeli said, with a laugh. 'But this one was a really good one.' Denver joins the NWSL on a record-setting $110 million expansion fee. The ownership group won the bid over Cleveland and Cincinnati — the latter had secured a commitment from WNBA star Caitlin Clark as a celebrity investor. But Denver, the bid competing furthest from the public's eye, won over the league. The process yielded the largest expansion fee in U.S. women's sports history and attracted an ownership group with deep pockets and even deeper ties to professional sports. It helped that those behind 'For Denver FC' — like Dunmore, Hubbard and venture capitalist Nicole Glaros — had the necessary business connections from the start. Cohen, the chairman and CEO of IMA Financial Group, will serve as the club's controlling owner and majority investor. As the face of the bid, he played a critical role in winning over the NWSL. The remaining ownership group includes Project Level, a subsidiary of Chicago-based Ariel Investments led by Mellody Hobson and former Washington Commanders president Jason Wright, FirstTracks Sports Ventures LLC led by siblings Jon-Erik Borgen and Kaia Borgen Mortiz, and other notable investors including Neelima Joshi, Dhiren Jhaveri and Molly Coors. Hobson, one of the first Black owners in the NFL with the Denver Broncos, will serve as the team's alternate governor on the NWSL board of governors. Aside from her high-profile corporate resume, which includes ties to Starbucks and JPMorgan Chase, she is also a shareholder of the Chicago White Sox, WNBA and League One Volleyball. Cohen's ties to the Colorado sports scene also run deep — which was an attractive asset to the NWSL. In 2001, Cohen founded the Denver Sports Commission, which works to bring major sporting events to the city. He is a founding member of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation and was part of the push for Denver to host the 2030 Olympic Games. Last year, Cohen was also linked to an ownership group that led an unsuccessful bid to bring the WNBA to Denver. Advertisement By the time he joined Denver's bid for a professional soccer team, Cohen was seasoned in the art of expansion bidding. The executive was previously interested in being a minority investor in both the Denver group and Minnesota Aurora, which currently competes in the USL W League, sources briefed on the previous discussions told The Athletic. Aurora had explored its own NWSL expansion bid, however, NWSL does not allow one owner to have stakes in multiple clubs. When 'For Denver FC' first launched, it had expressed interest in both the NWSL and USL Super League. Investors, those sources said, felt the NWSL was a more secure investment, considering its proven stability, despite being significantly more expensive to join. 'I wouldn't change the life that I've lived up to this point because everything that I've done has taught me and put me where I'm at, good and bad,' Cohen said in an exclusive interview with The Athletic on Monday. 'There were setbacks and disappointments that helped me focus and understand the things we need to overcome and do. There were also successes that told me what works. 'I just feel blessed that we were at this point where all those things came together in a way that this was the right time at the right place with the right bid for us to bring this [NWSL team] to this community, because I think it's going to be extraordinary.' Between that first meeting with 'For Denver FC' and being awarded the NWSL expansion team, Cohen and his ownership group put together a proposal that left NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman confident in the decision to partner with Denver. Berman told The Athletic's 'Full Time with Meg Linehan' podcast that Cohen's leadership was a key contributing factor in the league's decision to award their group the bid. Denver's ownership group was also willing to pay the highest fee to enter the league, according to sources briefed on the negotiations. It also helped that Colorado is a hotbed for women's soccer, with several professional players hailing from the state, including current national team players Lindsay Horan, Sophia Smith and Malory Swanson. 'A reasonably high percentage of the U.S. women's national team came from this community, and there's an entire groundswell of people who are really fans of the game itself,' Berman said. 'That is unique in our country. The Bay Area has that. Denver has that. There's probably a handful of other markets that have that.' Denver's location was also a draw for the NWSL, with the league having what Berman described as a 'vacancy' in the mountain timezone. 'As we think about our next media deal and other broader macro league objectives, having a team here right now is really important,' she said. Advertisement Berman met with Cohen 'long before' the expansion process started. He visited the league's offices in New York to share with Berman his vision for bringing women's soccer to Denver. 'He was just so authentic and genuine and (it) felt like he'd be really great to work with, which, shocker, is something that's actually important,' Berman said. 'We want to work with good people.' The league and Denver's group connect on weekly calls to discuss all the to-dos between now and the 2026 season when the team is expected to debut. 'The day the deal closed, Rob told me that he had spent four hours making his to-do list, and he said it was organized under four tabs, and each list was like 150 things long and he had leaders for every tab,' Berman said, 'and I was just like, 'Wow. Let's go.'' Berman said the league also met with various stakeholders prepared to back Denver's expansion bid, from those in the public and private sectors to potential sponsors and a potential supporters' group. They also met with public officials, including Denver Mayor Mike Johnston. 'Everyone was singing from the same song sheet, ready to stand behind Rob, deferring to his leadership, and it was just clear that they had built a well-oiled machine that was ready to operationalize what we know is going to be a heavy lift in the next 12 months,' Berman said. 'We have a very aggressive growth plan, and we need to surround ourselves with people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work and are aligned with our values and (Cohen) was definitely that,' Berman said. 'When he came in to present to our expansion committee, I think everybody was blown away by his and their group's preparedness. 'By the way he led the group, it really just inspired confidence.' It's that quiet confidence that kept the Denver bid from being distracted by the other finalists in the NWSL expansion race. In September, the Cleveland ownership group announced plans to build a $150 million downtown stadium. In November, Clark was linked to the bid in Cincinnati. All the while, Cohen and his ownership group in Denver remained tight-lipped about their own plans. Advertisement 'It's just the personality of the ownership group coming through in the bid itself. My philosophy is: do the quiet work behind the scenes, get the work done, cross the T's, dot the I's, do the things you need to do to win the bid,' Cohen said. 'Not try to win a bid in the media, but win the bid with the substantive parts of the bid. 'The league was very clear that they were going to pick the city based on the market, based on the ownership group, based on the facility plan, and, obviously, based on the expansion fee. So, we were just focused on getting the work done, and figured the rest would take care of itself at the right time.' That work is far from over, with only a one-year runway until Denver's first game. The team will debut in 2026 alongside Boston. The Boston club has had its own sets of challenges since securing its bid as the NWSL's 15th club. Denver is now focused on securing its infrastructure plans, rounding out the team's ownership group with what Cohen called 'strategic investors,' staffing the team's operations and securing revenue opportunities, like sponsorships and focusing on other operational logistics like ticket sales. The ownership group remains tight-lipped about the specifics to their plans, particularly related to infrastructure. Cohen said the team will play in a temporary venue until it secures its own stadium. The team has plans for training facilities and a stadium that are 'world-class facilities that are dedicated to, built for and utilized by women.' 'We've had months and months of discussions with many of the players that we need to talk to, from local jurisdictions, as well as financing and other pieces to bring those together,' Cohen said. While he didn't share specifics, Cohen said he hopes to have more stadium and facility information in the 'next several weeks.' Sources have told The Athletic these negotiations remain ongoing. Angeli said having professional women's soccer in Denver puts 'the biggest smile' on her face. It was her group's grassroots efforts that played an active role in helping Denver secure an NWSL team. They'll remain active in helping build the Denver club's foundation, said Angeli, who will be MC'ing a supporter fan rally in Denver on Thursday. Advertisement 'As a former player, I get proud when players are GMs or players or coaches, or (when) you see this increase of former players in prominent roles within NWSL,' Angeli said. 'When it comes to ownership or team building, like expansion, (this) is not really something that was really pursued until we saw my Santa Clara girls do it at the Bay. … I thought, 'Well, if they could do it, maybe I could have some of that same Bronco power and get it done here in Colorado,' and, lo and behold, here I am.' Cohen's interest in bringing professional soccer to Denver was inspired by 'For Denver FC's' grassroots efforts two years ago. He met with the group over Zoom in the fall of 2023. It was a turning point in their movement, Angeli said. She was working for CBS Sports in Connecticut at the time, squeezing meetings with their group in between the studio shows. It was those first conversations with Cohen from her kitchen table that made her feel like, 'This is really happening.' Her 'For Denver FC' group chat buzzed with excitement after their first conversation. 'Our goal for Denver FC was to launch a community movement that was so undeniable that people with the ability to fund a team would want to be a part of it, and that meeting (with Cohen) cemented that in my mind,' Angeli said. 'We all knew what we had done really worked, and it was going to provide a great platform for whoever financed the team to jump off from.' Cohen said their passion was contagious. It wasn't long before he was all in. 'The more I learned about what the opportunity was, what was going on in the league, and the opportunity that exists here in Denver, the more excited I got and the more I leaned in,' he said. Angeli was driving home after a workout when she learned Denver won the bid. She found out like the rest of the world through reports leaked in the media. But it really sunk in when a reporter she trusted messaged her to confirm the news. 'I'm at a stoplight, and I look at my phone, and I read that, and I just started crying. I couldn't help it,' Angeli said. A few days later, Angeli and the rest of the For Denver FC group were on another call with Cohen. Advertisement 'I wanted to tell you guys this before everything leaked, but I guess it's already out there,' Angeli remembers Cohen saying at the time. 'But, yeah, we're getting a team.' She grew even more emotional when she saw the team's potential colors and potential stadiums. 'I just was so thankful,' Angeli said. 'I hopped on at the end (of the Zoom call) and just thanked the owners and said, 'You know, as a little girl, I could only dream that this would be a reality.'' Senior writers Meg Linehan and Jeff Rueter contributed reporting.
